Summary
- Profile Type
- Technology offer
- POD Reference
- TOFR20250319009
- Term of Validity
- 3 April 2025 - 3 April 2026
- Company's Country
- France
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
- Targeted Countries
- Spain
- Italy
- Portugal
- Switzerland
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General information
- Short Summary
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A french company is seeking partners willing to offer their B2B clients, particularly in the agricultural sector, a reliable and efficient solar thermal system that will enable them to reduce their energy bills and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
High hot water production efficiency is achieved through an innovative design based on the simultaneous use of three types of solar radiation: direct, diffuse, and reflected, in combination with the solar tank's stratification principle. - Full Description
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The french company offers an innovative , sustainable, energy saving heating solution that combines high efficiency with proven, robust and passive technology, making it suitable for regular and intensive use of hot water, as can be expected in livestock farming.
The heating system is made of collecting tubes that capture the sun's energy directly and stores it efficiently in a solar tank located at the top of its collector.
Solar energy is captured through vacuum tubes that are exposed to the sun and heat the water, which directly feeds the hot water tank(s) of the operation. Cold water enters at one end of the system, is heated, and is naturally pushed from one element to the next, reaching progressively higher temperatures. In this way, it is the hottest water, located in the last element, that will be sent to the hot electrical water tank(s).
One prefered application field is agriculture, especially cattle breeding. The system has been successfully used in calf rearing farms, where it is needed to heat water before mixing it with powdered feed. To do this, farmer-breeders generally use electrically heated tanks. The innovative thermal solar system allows the water to be preheated, which can save up to 70% or even more on electricity.
Key Features of the System :
1. Captures direct, diffuse, and reflected solar radiation with enhanced albedo.
2. Offers a large heat storage capacity in solar tanks connected in series.
3. Manages summer overheating and winter freezing effectively.
4. Uses stratification to transfer solar-heated water from one tank to another.
5. It can heat solar water up to 100°C in the storage tanks.
Thanks to this innovative combination of features, the system delivers significantly higher performance compared to existing solar thermal technologies.
For instance, in the North-West of France, it achieves a useful solar thermal energy output of 550 to 700 kWh/m²/year, compared to 350 to 450 kWh/m²/year for classic systems.
The system’s superior performance has been validated through a European project ( a University developed numerical models to assess the system performance), and also by 160 farmers who have implemented it.
Drawing on 15 years of R&D work combined with field experience, the french company offers a fully operational high-performance system, and will also provide sizing software, mature hardware and proven installation techniques to ensure energy efficiency and performance.
This can allow the partner to enter or strengthen its position in the solar thermal market, with a new offer aimed at its customers, particularly in the agricultural sector, allowing them to reduce their energy bills and their greenhouse gas emissions. - Advantages and Innovations
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Energy savings : up to 70% * savings on electricity used for heating water, twice the energy savings compared to conventional systems (* even higher energy savings are reported by users).
Sustainability : the system enables users to reduce their CO2 emissions (decarbonisation).
Robustness and operational safety : hot water tank and coils are made of stainless steel , the solution is based on a passive system with no maintenance , and with no risk of overheating in summer or freezing in winter.
Economic profitability : the system enables partners and users to achieve economic profitability with current energy costs, even without government subsidies.
Certifications : the new generation system received Solar Keymark certification in early 2024 . Solar Keymark is the main quality label for solar thermal products and is widely spread across the European market and beyond .
Innovation : the first generation system was recognized as a winner at INNOV’SPACE 2022, an international exhibition in Rennes (France) . - Stage of Development
- Already on the market
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 13: Climate Action
- Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- IPR status
- IPR granted
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
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The partner can be an SME or a larger company, already offering products, equipment and services to its customers in the agricultural, energy management or renewable energy sectors.
The partner's role will be
- to identify potential customers (e.g. breeders),
- to introduce them to an innovative technology based on solar thermal energy,
- to offer them an estimate of the investment and the savings that can be achieved on their farm (return on investment).
The partner will provide technical assistance to the client for the sizing, installation and commissioning of the system. It will also help to evaluate customer satisfaction and the benefits obtained. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME 50 - 249
- SME <=10
- SME 11-49
- Type of partnership
- Commercial agreement with technical assistance
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 04005005 - Solar/Thermal energy
- Market keywords
- 09005 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Animal Husbandry & Related Products
- 06003001 - Solar/thermal energy
- Sector Groups Involved
- Agri-Food
- Renewable Energy
- Targeted countries
- Spain
- Italy
- Portugal
- Switzerland
